April 1, 2018 Easter Resurrection of Jesus Christ in Aptos CA means … Oh Lord what does it mean?
What’s politically correct spoken from the pulpit?
Try the Wall Street Journal’s story titled The Easter Effect and How it Changed the World  for a good read ….
What about that supernatural stuff?  Did Jesus Christ –crucified, tortured and hung from a cross – really rise from the dead?
Or is Easter just about sharing eggs and going to the  beach? Sharing time with people? Beer and bongo drums?
What’s politically correct for Aptos CA churches to talk about?
Here’s what persons heard from the pulpit attending Resurrection Catholic Community 3/31/18Â Â and Christ Lutheran Church 4/1/18Â Â in Aptos, CA:
A 3/31/2018 8 PM Catholic service in Aptos, CA:  Two people were “first time visitors” at the Easter service at the church.  The large church of 400-600 was three quarters filled.  The service was a familiar one. Candles lit by a fire with procession. The Word spoken including a homily by the priest.
The priest told his Easter story of a resurrection moment.  As a young priest ( he had been two years a priest) in order to meet families in the Diocese he walked about 2 hours across the Philippine Islands in 100 degree humidity. He was sent out ‘two by two’ without taking food, clothing or provisions. That was back in 2004.
It was very hot and the priest  was quite tired from the two hour journey when he arrived.  When he arrived he was graciously welcomed to a small home by a husband and wife in their late 70’s.
The woman welcoming him — with a hug which is rarely done in the Philippine culture (they shake hands) — and she said it was the most important moment in her life;  this was the first time a priest had entered her home.
This was was a ‘resurrection’ moment  for the priest.  The woman’s words inspired him. He was no longer tired and exhausted.   He experienced God’s love through other people.  Walking two hours home afterwards he was not tired.
Take away from the sermon at Resurrection Catholic Community:   When you get discouraged or depressed, think of ‘resurrection’ moments in your own life said the priest. Think of moments of great joy, peace and love that come through the connections and experiences you share with other people. You have your stories of resurrection to share.
What people heard at Christ Lutheran Church April 1, 2018 could be titled  The Power of Assumptions.
You can hear the sermon via YouTube. When it’s available a link will be included to it here.
Can people make changes from the bottom up instead of top down? The sermon mentioned  Rosa Parks ( 1960s black civil rights) and the Florida students ( 17 students killed by a former student) as examples of people who  make change from the bottom up….
Refugee Resettlement is front and center in the Easter bulletin for Christ Lutheran April 1, 2018:
Per the bulletin, this year’s Easter offering at Christ Lutheran Church in Aptos CAÂ goes to the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) which “has helped over 500,000 refugees”.
Given that the news April 1, 2018 1 is that 1,200  refugees from Honduras are currently walking through Mexico to claim refugee status in the USA, the church bulletin’s info on Lutheran Immigration and Regufee Service (LIRS) is interesting.
Refugee Resettlement Watch (RRW) follows closely the 9 main agencies that resettle people, one of which is LIRS. In 2006 the American taxpayers paid 97% of all the costs incurred by LIRS [18.6 million of the 20.9 million]. Taxpayers also paid roughly 97% of all costs encourage by agencies that do resettlement for the Catholic church and the Episcopal church.
The former CEO for LIRS Linda Hartke was paid a $300,000. package until she was fired by the LIRS board for a variety of reasons.
A wrong assumption?
 Maybe the Take Away is that an assumption that non-profits such as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS)  need your money may not  be true.
LIRS is more a quasi-governmental agency and only gets a pittance from individuals and churches for its support.
That’s according to Refugee Resettlement Watch.
Aptos Psychologist thoughts:Â Â
By the year 300 or so roughly a quarter of the Roman Empire became Christian.
As portrayed in the gospels, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. No one saw ‘this private act’ done by God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Later, Jesus appeared to multiple people in many situations yet those people initially did not recognize Christ. Mary Magdalene did not recognize him until he called her by name. Christ told her not to touch him as he was not yet raised.  Doors and windows were locked and Christ showed up.
So what is the  Easter Resurrection? Simple but not simple.
Read the gospels for yourself. Read those stories and let God speak to you directly. The Wall Street Journal article mentioned above [The Easter Effect…] is a good start for thinking about the Christian faith.
written by DrCameronJackson@gmail.com